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Mount Gilead will be the envy of every Marion-area boys track and field team in 2025. The squad is huge. The experience is immense. The talent is deep.
“Our boys team for 2025 has great depth in the sprints, distance and throwing events. We return a large number of boys with championship meet experience,” said MG coach Jake Hayes, the school’s cross country head coach who takes over as the head track coach after years serving as an assistant under Lauren Huelsman.
Mount Gilead is coming off a Division III state championship in cross country, but as Hayes said, the squad is much more than just elite distance runners.
Go vote: Marion Star Preseason Boys Track Athlete of the Year Poll: You pick the winner for 2025
Boys track capsules for 2025: 2025 Marion-area boys track and field preview capsules: A closer look at the teams
With 19 letter winners back to go with a roster that numbers 47, covering events will not be hard. Finding opportunities for everyone will. MG has 18 freshman.
“We will be splitting our team a few times during the season to make sure that our younger athletes get chances to find success throughout the season,” Hayes said.
As far as top-end talent, MG has plenty to pick from.
Will Baker was the D-III state runner-up in cross country and an All-Ohioan last year in the 1,600 meters. He’s coming off an indoor track state title in the 1,600 and runner-up finishes in the 3,200 and 4x400 relay. Other names to follow are Josh Burnaugh in the long jump, Jon Miller in the sprints, Carson Mowery in the throws, Owen Hershner in the distances, Kasen Wallace in the pole vault, Liam Stalnaker in the middle distances and Tae Davis in the hurdles.
They won the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference last year as well as the Division III district, but for 2025, they move up to Diviison II by two boys.
“We expect our athletes to bring the best version of themselves every day and to contend for conference, district, regional and state titles,” Hayes said.
Here’s a thumbnail sketch of the other Marion-area boys track and field programs heading into the start of the season this weekend:
Elgin: The Comets will be a small team with 14 athletes and six with no high school experience, so they will struggle to cover events. With seniors Landon Shepard, Kaden Thomas and Karson Thomas, throws and sprints will be strengths.
Highland: The Scots have numbers with 53 on the roster, but 11 are letter winners led by sophomore Jett Black, who won a Division III indoor track state championship in the pole vault at 15-feet, 2-inches, and senior Toby Rogers, who went to the D-II regionals in the 300 hurdles. They finished third in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference last year and hope to be in the mix in 2025.
Marion Harding: It’s largely a new team for 46-year coaching veteran Jerome Bohanna. He will lean on pole vaulter and distance runner Peyton Ward, distance runner Sebastian Swihart, sprinter Logan Thrapp, and jumper and sprinter Ja’vahe Drake among others. The Presidents have a big and talented freshman class, which will help.
Northmor: The Golden Knights were KMAC runners-up a year ago and could be poised to do it again. Cowin Becker is back after going to state in the long jump and 400 and so is Cade Miracle, a state qualifier in the pole vault. Others who will score a lot of points are Ryan Lowry in the throws, Levi Hunter in the pole vault, hurdles and relays, David Blunk in the distances, Owen Yunker in the hurdles and other spots, Ethan Amens in the hurdles and relays and Conner Stockdale in the jumps and relays.
North Union: The Wildcats have a huge team with 48 athletes, but just 11 have experience. With those numbers, they can focus on specialized events and not be overworked trying to cover several. Griffin Osborne in the sprints and Wyatt Davis in the long jump are two athletes who will lead the team.
Pleasant: It will be a small team for 32-year track coach Rich Nelson. There are 16 boys and only seven returnees, so developing the newcomers will be key. Will Lichtenberger, Elijah McGinniss, Ethan Hall, Jacob Meyers and Joey Dietsch are some of the holdovers to watch.
Ridgedale: The Rockets aren’t big with only eight athletes, but all of them are capable of scoring points and making postseason runs. Chief among them is distance ace Brogan Weston as well as Evan Ricketts, Breyton Richmond and Isaac Lust. Freshman Britton Potkotter set junior high records in the throws.
River Valley: Graduation was not kind to RV. The Vikings lost a national champion thrower in Ethan Lyon, a multi-time state placer in the pole vault in Cooper Miller, a state qualifying middle distance runner in Gabe Douce and several other leaders. Aric Smith, who is in his 25th season as the head coach, will be counting on a lot of new faces for 2025.
rmccurdy@gannett.com
419-610-0998
X @McMotorsport
Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: 2025 boys track preview: Who are the top Marion-area teams, athletes?
Continue reading...
“Our boys team for 2025 has great depth in the sprints, distance and throwing events. We return a large number of boys with championship meet experience,” said MG coach Jake Hayes, the school’s cross country head coach who takes over as the head track coach after years serving as an assistant under Lauren Huelsman.
Mount Gilead is coming off a Division III state championship in cross country, but as Hayes said, the squad is much more than just elite distance runners.
Go vote: Marion Star Preseason Boys Track Athlete of the Year Poll: You pick the winner for 2025
Boys track capsules for 2025: 2025 Marion-area boys track and field preview capsules: A closer look at the teams
With 19 letter winners back to go with a roster that numbers 47, covering events will not be hard. Finding opportunities for everyone will. MG has 18 freshman.
“We will be splitting our team a few times during the season to make sure that our younger athletes get chances to find success throughout the season,” Hayes said.
As far as top-end talent, MG has plenty to pick from.
Will Baker was the D-III state runner-up in cross country and an All-Ohioan last year in the 1,600 meters. He’s coming off an indoor track state title in the 1,600 and runner-up finishes in the 3,200 and 4x400 relay. Other names to follow are Josh Burnaugh in the long jump, Jon Miller in the sprints, Carson Mowery in the throws, Owen Hershner in the distances, Kasen Wallace in the pole vault, Liam Stalnaker in the middle distances and Tae Davis in the hurdles.
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They won the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference last year as well as the Division III district, but for 2025, they move up to Diviison II by two boys.
“We expect our athletes to bring the best version of themselves every day and to contend for conference, district, regional and state titles,” Hayes said.
Here’s a thumbnail sketch of the other Marion-area boys track and field programs heading into the start of the season this weekend:
Elgin: The Comets will be a small team with 14 athletes and six with no high school experience, so they will struggle to cover events. With seniors Landon Shepard, Kaden Thomas and Karson Thomas, throws and sprints will be strengths.
Highland: The Scots have numbers with 53 on the roster, but 11 are letter winners led by sophomore Jett Black, who won a Division III indoor track state championship in the pole vault at 15-feet, 2-inches, and senior Toby Rogers, who went to the D-II regionals in the 300 hurdles. They finished third in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference last year and hope to be in the mix in 2025.
Marion Harding: It’s largely a new team for 46-year coaching veteran Jerome Bohanna. He will lean on pole vaulter and distance runner Peyton Ward, distance runner Sebastian Swihart, sprinter Logan Thrapp, and jumper and sprinter Ja’vahe Drake among others. The Presidents have a big and talented freshman class, which will help.
You must be registered for see images attach
Northmor: The Golden Knights were KMAC runners-up a year ago and could be poised to do it again. Cowin Becker is back after going to state in the long jump and 400 and so is Cade Miracle, a state qualifier in the pole vault. Others who will score a lot of points are Ryan Lowry in the throws, Levi Hunter in the pole vault, hurdles and relays, David Blunk in the distances, Owen Yunker in the hurdles and other spots, Ethan Amens in the hurdles and relays and Conner Stockdale in the jumps and relays.
North Union: The Wildcats have a huge team with 48 athletes, but just 11 have experience. With those numbers, they can focus on specialized events and not be overworked trying to cover several. Griffin Osborne in the sprints and Wyatt Davis in the long jump are two athletes who will lead the team.
Pleasant: It will be a small team for 32-year track coach Rich Nelson. There are 16 boys and only seven returnees, so developing the newcomers will be key. Will Lichtenberger, Elijah McGinniss, Ethan Hall, Jacob Meyers and Joey Dietsch are some of the holdovers to watch.
Ridgedale: The Rockets aren’t big with only eight athletes, but all of them are capable of scoring points and making postseason runs. Chief among them is distance ace Brogan Weston as well as Evan Ricketts, Breyton Richmond and Isaac Lust. Freshman Britton Potkotter set junior high records in the throws.
River Valley: Graduation was not kind to RV. The Vikings lost a national champion thrower in Ethan Lyon, a multi-time state placer in the pole vault in Cooper Miller, a state qualifying middle distance runner in Gabe Douce and several other leaders. Aric Smith, who is in his 25th season as the head coach, will be counting on a lot of new faces for 2025.
rmccurdy@gannett.com
419-610-0998
X @McMotorsport
Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: 2025 boys track preview: Who are the top Marion-area teams, athletes?
Continue reading...
